Paradise Saved
by OTR Barcelona
Summary: A long-awaited sequel to 1964's "The Dalek Invasion of Earth", with the Eleventh Doctor and friends.
1. Chapter 1

**Paradise Saved**

**Chapter 1**

Tom and Bryan had skipped school again. And why not? School was dull, and it wasn't like they would have difficulty finding work. After all, it was over eighty years since the last unemployed person under the age of 75 had found work. Not only in London, but there now wasn't a single unemployed person on the planet earth. They were truly in the Golden Age. And one more day's skipping school wouldn't hurt.

Even better was that they'd found a parcel of unused parkland by the Thames, not too far from the Battersea Power Station, where the GeneSearch field couldn't penetrate. No one would know where they were. An entire day without grownups to spoil it.

So there they sat, in the shade, with their TV Spex perched on their faces the way people wore glasses before GeneTherapy had relegated myopia to the history books. But after a couple of hours, Tom heard Bryan's footsteps on the dried grass.

"What are you pacing around for?"

"I'm bored".

"But we've got all the latest releases on our TV Spex. Come on, you know it's dangerous to walk around with them on. You can never see where you're going".

"Oh, like something's really about to happen here".

Famous last words, thought Tom.

Without warning, both boys heard a whooshing sound, and the air begin to breeze about them. Just before his ears began to pop, Tom heard a human scream and then a splash. Ripping his TV Spex off, he caught sight of Bryan, soaking wet, making his way out of the river.

But then his friend disappeared from view, as a bizarre object appeared. It was blue and seemed to be made of wood. It looked like an antique phone box. In fact, as the whooshing got louder, and it came even more into view, Tom could clearly make out the words "Police Box" boldly inscribed above two little windows at the top of the box. Frustrated, he mumbled to himself as he regarded the box. "Transmat capsule. Retro one at that".

"So where are we?" asked Amy excitedly. "_When _are we?"

"Doctor?" asked Rory, trying to direct the Timelord to his wife's last questions.

The Doctor was flicking switches on the console and connecting some wires. He recoiled as sparks began to fly from the control panel, and gave the view screen a slap on its side.

Amy was now growing impatient. "Doctor?!"

But their companion just continued to mumble to himself. "Not clear. It just isn't clear". He then started to shake the view screen. "Come on, I don't believe it!"

He whirled around, nudged the viewscreen to face his companions and took a couple of steps forward as if he had only just heard what they had said to him. "Where are we?" he echoed Amy's first question. "London, earth, I think. When are we? No idea. Can't get a clear fix on the viewer over there".

Rory was puzzled. "But isn't this a time machine? I mean, shouldn't the view screen be a relatively simple matter?"

Amy knew the Timelord slightly better than her husband did. She knew he wouldn't like that comment. "Rory Pond, I'll have you know this is the most advanced machine in the universe, millennia and millennia advanced of anything you humans have ever come up with".

"So it's so complicated that it just gets its wires crossed over every once in a while and breaks down?"

The Doctor frowned. "Has glitches. It never breaks down". At that moment, even the abstract static imagery vanished from the viewer. Amy smiled at the Doctor.

"All right, breaks down", he admitted. He nodded at the doors, changing the subject as quickly as he could. "Right, let's see where we are".

As they opened the doors, they were greeted with a rough patch of grass with two young teenaged boys stood on it. They were wearing bright clothing, not quite like anything Amy and Rory had ever seen. They each held a pair of what looked to be sunglasses in their hands. One of the boys was soaking wet.

Quite unaccustomed to opening the doors of his Timeship to observers, the Doctor fumbled for words. But before any of the three companions could utter a syllable, the soaking boy asked a question. "Is that a transmat capsule?"

More relieved than anything, the Doctor smiled. "Why yes, that's exactly what it is. A retro transmat capsule. Just beamed down from Pluto. Or one of its moons. I wonder, would either of you be able to tell me –". He broke off mid-sentence. Something had caught his eye. His mood suddenly changed. He stepped out of the TARDIS, and extended his arms so that his companions were dragged out also. Quick as a flash, he turned around and locked the doors. He then grabbed Rory on his shoulder. "This is Second Lieutenant Rory Pond. He knows more about transmat capsules than anyone else in the solar system. And he would be happy to explain everything". With that the Timelord ran off as quickly as he could leaving his bemused companions behind.

Amy was certain she had detected a massive amount of excitement in his voice, like someone who was about to find out if they had passed their driving test. Looking at the wall past the two boys, she saw some kind of computer screen. It was displaying what looked like the front page of a newspaper. The headline said "Global Omni Employment Enters Eighty-Fifth Year". She began to wonder when they had landed.

As these thoughts flickered through her mind, Rory began made-up description of the TARDIS to the two boys. "This is a Mega Series 5000 Transmat Capsule".

At that the boys looked confused. "But aren't the 5000 Series a lot bigger". Rory paused. This was going to be difficult.

Amy was still wondering why the Doctor had run off so abruptly. It was when he started to act unpredictably that the ground tended to disappear from beneath her feet. What would interest him so much about "global omni employment"? Or was it the story beneath it that interested him? Something about an old female scientist dying in hospital? At any rate, she hoped her friend would return to them soon.

"I can't believe it's going to end like this", said Jason. "She deserved a more dignified end".

Doctor Johnston lay a hand on his shoulder. "We all do", he said, calmly. "But she's lived so long. Over two hundred years". They looked down. There she lay, in a hospital bed, quiet as a mouse and wired to so many machines. Johnston made Jason jump when he broke the silence. "That reminds me. Since she is so old, I ran a DNA test, just to see if she had any extraterrestrial genes". Jason looked shocked. "But she can't be an alien. She looks just like any one of us".

"Yes she does. And I thought that some of the recent advancements in science were what kept her alive so long".

"Scientific advancements that she was responsible for", added Jason.

"Quite, quite", agreed Doctor Johnston. There was another silence.

"So what did you find?" asked Jason in a soft voice. The physician was about to begin, when the door burst open. There stood a man, perhaps in his mid twenties, with long black hair, a pinstriped jacket and an antiquated bowtie. So loud was the sound of the door that the old woman's eyes opened.

"And just who are you?" demanded Jason.

Totally ignoring the question, the other man put his hand on the woman's forehead, and bent down to face her. "Oh, what have they done to you?" he sighed. He then shot up to his full height, and pointed an odd metal device with a green light on the end at the life support equipment. It gave off a buzzing sound.

Now Jason was clearly angry. "I'll ask again. Who are you and what in the solar system do you think you're doing?"

He turned back to them with broad grin and an expression of pride gleaming in his eyes. "I'm the Doctor. And I've come to set her free".

"You're not one of our doctors", Johnston protested.

Suddenly, sparks began to fly from the life support equipment. Jason was perplexed. "What's going on?" But Johnston seemed equally baffled. "He's done something to the equipment keeping her alive!"

Jason threw himself at the stranger. "What have you done?!"

As the two men struggled, Johnston looked toward his patient. He couldn't believe what he saw. It appeared as though her arms and face were beginning to dissolve into the atmosphere. Tiny glowing particles seemed to emanate from her and rise slowly upward like bubbles in a fizzy drink. Her flesh glowed, and now the physician was totally indifferent to the struggle in the room. Without warning, the old woman sat bolt upright in her bed. Energy flowed from her body like a volcano erupting. Now Jason and the stranger turned to face the bed. Jason's jaw dropped open, and his heart began to pound. The other man simply looked on and smiled.

And then the most remarkable thing of all happened. As suddenly as it had began, the eruption of energy stopped. But when it cleared, there was no longer an old woman in the bed. In her place, wearing her very nightdress was the figure of a young girl, perhaps in her early twenties with jet black hair. She looked up at the three men. Two of them were dumbstruck, but the man with the bowtie just continued to smile and nod. "The first one's the strangest. Not necessarily the worst, but always the strangest". She narrowed her eyes, like someone who had been in a dark room coming into bright sunlight. The stranger just grinned even wider, if that were possible. "Oh, come on, child, I told you I'd come back".

The girl widened her eyes. "Grandfather?"

The stranger folded his arms. "Susan".


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"What have you done?! Bring her back!" Jason was distraught. In the last 48 hours he'd been preparing himself for the worst. She was the closest thing to a mother he'd ever known. So although death had always been a taboo subject for him, he had one thing firmly decided: he'd stay with her until the end. Yes Jason had prepared for the worst. But nothing could have prepared him for this.

"Jason, it's me", she replied. Looking surprised she grabbed her throat. "Although my voice may have changed".

Jason wasn't convinced. "You're not Mrs Campbell. She's an old woman, a dignified old woman. You look just like a school girl who's lost her TV Spex". He then looked turned to the clown with the bowtie. "And just who are you?"

"It's like I said, the Doctor".

"And it's like I said", interjected Dr Johnston, "you're not a doctor from this hospital".

"Then if I may explain?"

Jason thinned his eyes. "Oh, I should think so".

"Or maybe I could explain". Mrs Campbell was getting out of bed. She stood up and put a hand on Jason's shoulder. His first reaction was to yell again, but for some reason he couldn't quite explain, he stopped himself. "Go on then", he replied.

"Okay. Now this may be difficult for you to take in, and I'm sorry that I haven't told you about this before. As I was lying there, I heard you and Dr Johnston talking about testing me for alien DNA. So what did you find, Dr Johnston?"

Deciding to play along for now, Johnston replied. "That's just it. Mrs Campbell may have looked human, but her DNA is all wrong. She had more neural connections than I've ever seen in any brain. That would explain your supreme intellect, I suppose".

Jason folded his arms angrily. "Anything else I should be aware of?"

"Yes, she had two hearts".

"What?!"

"But the best bit of all", the bowtied stranger began, "is her life span. You see, not only can her body live for over four hundred years, but whenever she's about to die, she gets a new one". He walked right up to Jason and looked him in the eye. "Total cellular regeneration. A real rush".

The young girl addressed Jason again. "It's me, Jason. Ask me anything".

Jason choked back tears. "Okay. The first time I came to your house, why did I come?"

"To read the electron meter. Well that's what you said. You really intended to take any cash I had lying around". Jason turned white. "You mean, you knew? All along?"

She smiled warmly. "I could tell you had a good heart".

He walked over to the stranger. "So who's this?"

"That's my grandfather. I used to travel with him, but now he's come back".

Now it was Johnston's turn to ask a question. "Your grandfather? He looks about twenty-five".

"Well I've regenerated too", the man replied. "I used to look a lot older".

The girl laughed. "Yes, but you've kept the long wavy hair haven't you? Although I think I preferred it white".

"Oi!" replied the stranger.

"So are there others like you out there?" asked Johnston. "If we could study you, we could advance medical science exponentially".

"'Fraid not, all died. Big, big war against some aliens. We're the only two left". He clapped his hands. "Right, Susan, we could stand here chatting all day, but if you're anything like me you'll want to take that new body for a test drive. Run it in. So, Dr Johnston, do we have to sign anything to get her out?"

Jason and Dr Johnston just stood there, stunned. The stranger smiled. "Obviously not. Right, Susan, let's grab your belongings and get out of here. Oh, and you can bring your burglar if you want". The two disappeared out the door.

Dr Johnston turned to Jason. "So are you going with them?"

"No, don't think so. I think I need a lie down". And with that, he fainted onto the bed that Mrs Campbell lay in. Johnston sighed. Why did he get all the weird ones?


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Amy had shared her husband's frustration about the prospect of explaining future technology to a pair of comparative experts. She thought it would have been like her great grandparents having to explain the workings of her mobile phone to her. But while he did it, with all of his loveable quirks, she couldn't suppress a giggle or two. When he told them that it was blue as a camouflage against space termites, and that it gave off a strange whooshing sound upon materialising to scare magpies, she could barely contain her hysterics. Finally, in what was a great relief, one of the boys referred to Rory as a "gigodope" and they both headed off somewhere else. Now, of course, they could concentrate on their main problem: namely why their designated driver had left them.

"So where's the Doctor?" asked Rory. "Does he often wander off like this?"

Amy gave a mirthless laugh. "Hardly. He's always lecturing me on the dangers of wandering off".

Rory waved his hands in frustration. "Oh that's great. The year dot and no way back. He's just left us with a TARDIS…", he tried to open the door only to find that he couldn't, "… a _locked_ TARDIS, and a load of wet grass".

Amy tried to reassure her husband with a smile. "Don't worry. I'm sure he knows what he's doing. He always does".

"But that doesn't mean we always know what he's doing. In fact, we never seem to know what he's doing. Was it River Song who said 'rule number one: the Doctor lies'?"

A sudden snap of a twig attracted their attention. They whirled around to see their companion walking toward them at a leisurely pace with a rather satisfied grin on his face. Beside him was a young woman in her early twenties with jet black hair, barefoot and wearing a dark anorak over a thin blue nightgown like you may see someone wearing in a hospital. "I only lie to protect you", said the Doctor, the grin not at all shifting from his face. "Right, let's get back into the TARDIS and go and do something amazing". He moved to put the key into the lock, when Amy blocked his way. "Doctor, who is that?"

The Timelord contorted his face somewhat. "Oh, sorry, Amy and Rory. This is Susan. Susan, these are Amelia and Roranicus Pond. The girl who waited and the last Roman". He then smiled and winked at the married couple. Susan's my granddaughter". He tried to twist his arm around Amy to get at the lock, but then Rory interrupted him. "Your granddaughter? What you mean?"

Now giving up trying to fit the key into the lock he turned to face Rory. "It means, Roranicus, that one of her parents is one of my children. Didn't think you'd have a problem understanding that, it's one of the few areas where human and Gallifreyan biology are exactly the same".

"Come on, Grandfather, explain it to them", said Susan. "Didn't you see how confused Jason was back in the hospital?"

The Doctor sighed. "Oh, all right". He turned to face Amy and Rory. "Okay, do you remember when I told you I took a TARDIS from Gallifrey?"

Amy folded her arms and gave a knowing grin. "Don't you mean 'stole' a TARDIS?"

The Timelord grinned back sheepishly. "Okay, 'stole' a TARDIS. Well one thing I didn't tell you is that I wasn't exactly alone. I wasn't the only Timelord who'd got bored, Susan decided to tag along. We tried out a few places and times, but eventually settled on earth in the 1960s. Susan got herself one of those silly haircuts, and went to school there for a while".

"Silly haircut?" smiled Amy. "This coming from you?"

"Oi!" the Doctor ran his hand through his hair.

"Used to be white", interjected Susan.

"Double oi!" replied the Timelord. "Anyway we eventually got bored of life in the 60s, so we decided to move on".

"And take two unsuspecting earth people with us", whispered Susan.

The Doctor frowned. "Ouch. Anyway, after a lot of travelling through the cosmos we ended up here, and Susan went and did something really silly".

"What, she missed the TARDIS?" asked Rory.

"No!" replied the Doctor, slightly irritated. "My lovely granddaughter Susan fell in love. So she decided to stay and live her life out here".

"Wasn't it you who decided that I should stay?"

Now definitely irritated, the Doctor folded his arms and turned to his granddaughter. "Well, all right, I did lock you out, but it was where you wanted to be. Anyway, you've lived a full life here, I told you I'd be back, and now here I am!"

"You've not changed one bit", laughed Susan. Then she turned to Rory and Amy. "So did you prefer him before or after he regenerated?"

"We never actually met him before he regenerated", said Amy.

"Pity", said Susan. "He was exactly the same as he is now, just greyer, wrinklier and more forgetful. Now can I get some new clothes, please?"

Silently, and knowing when not to argue, the Doctor opened the TARDIS door. "Okay, come on, you three. Eternity beckons!" Susan and Rory dutifully boarded the timeship, but Amy seemed to hesitate. The Doctor seemed irritated. "Oh, what now, Pond?"

"Well, I was just thinking…"

"Thinking what?"

"Well, that your granddaughter has lived here for such a long time".

"Yes, and?"

"Well, maybe she could show us around".

The Doctor rolled his eyes at his companion. "Oh, come on, this is British Utopia. Dullsville. The universe has far more to offer".

But then Susan's voice came from the other side of the control room. "Actually, I think that'd be a great idea".

The Doctor looked astonished. "You do?"

Susan came into view wearing a black shirt and black jeans. "After all, I did help build the place".

Amy was shocked. "You changed your clothes quick!"

The Doctor shrugged and mumbled to Amy under his breath. "She changed her body even quicker".

He then turned back to his granddaughter. "Susan, didn't you ever notice that I'm more interested in seeing things that other people built?"

Amy ignored the Doctor. "Susan, where should we start?"

"How about a tour of London?"

"I'm sold".

"So how do you want to see it?"

Amy looked confused, grasping for words and concepts in a similar way to her husband when he had tried to explain the transmat capsule to the boys. "I don't suppose they still do open top bus tours, do they?"

An exited grin came over Susan's face. "Well, funnily enough, they do".


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

As they finally reached street level, Rory looked around amazed. "It doesn't look any different to how it looks in our time!"

But Amy was slightly more perceptive. "Except that it looks like it was all put up yesterday. Everything's so clean!"

They were standing on a London high street. The sun was beating down on them, and it seemed just like any other day. Rory had expected to see rows of glass skyscrapers and other futuristic gizmos. But as he began to get his bearings, he was more than slightly disappointed to see everything look almost identical to his own time. There were a few differences, but he couldn't quite put his finger on them.

Susan, now nominated as their impromptu tour guide, explained. "Well, we had to rebuild most of the country from scratch. When we were doing it, nostalgic sentiment was very popular, so we gave every city a classic look". She then turned to Amy. "Although you're right, it's a lot cleaner. It may look the same as before, but the materials and components are very different. Far tougher, far more durable and far cleaner".

"As I said before", commented the Doctor. "Dullsville".

As the four of them walked on, Amy became quite mesmerised by the tranquillity of it all. But it was a good half hour before she noticed what should have been obvious. "Susan, why aren't there any cars?"

The Timelord's granddaughter grinned. "There are", she said, pointing upwards. Amy and Rory looked toward the heavens to see car shaped dots flying around high above them. Rory's eyes filled with enthusiasm. "You have hover cars?"

"More anti magnetic cars", Susan replied. "They fly by negating gravity. They generate artificial magnetic fields around them so that they don't get pulled down to earth".

Rory continued to watch the small dots. "They're moving really fast".

Susan was quick to provide another explanation. "We can manipulate the gravity around them really easily. It's like convincing the cars that they've just hit terminal velocity on Jupiter, or an even bigger planet".

"But isn't that dangerous?" Rory asked.

Susan smiled proudly. "Not really. Their gravitational fields are programmed to sense other cars. Collisions are impossible".

"Dullsville", the Doctor mouthed.

"But isn't all this really expensive?" asked Amy.

"Well we've been in a period of massive economic growth for the past two centuries", said Susan. "The planet was invaded about two hundred years ago by Daleks".

Amy's heart seemed to skip a beat. "Daleks? I've met them".

"Then you'll know how nasty they are. They nearly destroyed the infrastructure of the planet. We had to completely rebuild. Not only did all the countries in the world pull together, but quite a few alien races invested heavily in the planet. We can produce materials on earth that are really beneficial to them that they can't manufacture. So they kept investing. The economy boomed, and unemployment is now a thing of the past".

It was at that point that one of the dots in the heavens quickly fell to earth and came to a smooth landing on the road. Amy was astonished when she got a closer view. "It's a Robin Reliant! Why on earth does it look like a Robin Reliant?"

Susan never tired of her explanations. "They can make them any shape they want, and classic is really popular. Mind you, you should see some of the fashions I've lived through here. Talk about retro".

Intrigued, Amy pushed for a further clarification. "What do you mean?"

"Well about twenty years ago, 18th Century fashion was all the rage. You'd see teenagers walking down the streets with huge white wigs and mechanical rats inside".

The Doctor chose this moment to make a comment. "Mechanical rats in huge white wigs. Now that's cool! Pity we didn't land twenty years ago".

They were now getting close to the Houses of Parliament. Susan had explained that they could get on a flying bus near there. As they got closer to Big Ben, Rory noticed another difference. There was an immense view screen, seemingly hovering independently over the tower. "What's that?" he asked.

Susan followed his gaze. "That's the New London Eye. It gives news coverage of whatever debates are going on in the House of Commons". Sure enough, there was a man in a suit and tie on the screen. The caption below read "Prime Minister's Questions". Amy realised that some things never change. What's more, it seemed that he was in a heated debate. The screen shifted from the first man they had seen (presumably the Prime Minister) to a rather ugly little man with jet black hair and a thin moustache. "Who's he?" asked Amy.

"Oh, he's the Defence Minister", said Susan. "John Ronson. He's always arguing that we should tighten the planet's defences in case the Daleks return". The quartet then took some time to listen to the debate. Ronson was very outspoken. "But shouldn't the Prime Minister consider that should any hostile alien race attempt to invade us en masse, just as the Daleks did two centuries ago, that we should look into ways of defending our planet?"

The screen then moved to the Prime Minister. The Doctor noticed his name and cried in amazement. "Prime Minister Wright-Chesterton?" He turned to his granddaughter and beamed. "Any relation?"

"I don't know", said Susan. "We don't have many records that survived the Dalek invasion, but it is possible".

The Prime Minister continued. "I would like to assure the right honourable gentleman that we have advanced planetary defences in place. We have explored much of the nearby region of space and consulted with extra terrestrial citizens, and the consensus is that there are no races in any nearby sector with a modicum of hostility toward this planet".

Ronson didn't seem convinced. "But does the Prime Minister acknowledge that we are indeed a relatively young planet, as are many of those we have open dialogues with, and that possible threats, such as the Daleks, should remain at the forefront of our minds when developing planetary defences? Indeed, there may be some races out there to whom our defences would prove no threat whatsoever, and we can't always rely on the timely appearance of the legendary 'Doctor' to help us?"

At this comment, the Timelord addressed his granddaughter. "'Legendary'?"

Susan just shrugged. "There aren't any photographs or other records of what you did here. People have just had to rely on the word of mouth descriptions from the resistance from the time".

"But didn't you tell them all about me?"

"I had a planet to rebuild and didn't think people would be interested in fairy tales".

"Fairy tales? I pulled this planet's fat right out of the fryer! And I'll tell you something about this Mr Ronson".

"What's that?"

"I don't like him. He's creepy".

"Not many people like him".

"Pity then".

Susan turned to her grandfather in surprise. "Why is it a pity?"

"Because he's absolutely right".

The discussion could have gone on for a very long time, but it was interrupted by a breathless figure running toward them. "Mrs Campbell, wait", he puffed.

Susan couldn't suppress a smile. "Jason! Great to see you. Let me introduce me to my friends". But before she could go any further, Jason cut her off. "Why? Why didn't you tell me? I was grieving, you were like a mother to me. Why didn't you tell me you wouldn't die?"

Susan turned to the side of the bridge and looked out over the Thames. "Because I didn't know what I'd become. I spent such a long time as a human that I didn't want to tell you what I really was".

"Then what are you?"

Susan turned around to face him. "I'm a Timelord. I come from a planet called Gallifrey".

Tears started to well up in Jason's eyes. "But I've made earth my home", said Susan. "And you're the closest thing to a son I've ever had". She put her hand on his shoulder, and Jason put his own hand on top of hers. "This will take some getting used to".

"I know", Susan said softly.

The tender moment was interrupted by the proverbial bull in the China shop known as the Doctor. "Right, time to catch up later. My friends and I were just about to go on an open top bus tour of the city, not something I'm particularly ravished about, but far preferable to standing here chatting".

Susan decided to ignore her grandfather's sarcasm. Instead she spoke to Jason. "Why don't you show my friends here the history node?"

Jason forced a smile. "Okay, why not? Come here, you three". He took the Doctor, Amy and Rory to a small television-sized screen built into the bridge. He now assumed the role of guide. "You can view the entire history of the Houses of Parliament on this screen". Pressing some buttons, he shifted the view to old photographs of the construction of the building in various stages. But the Doctor wasn't impressed. "I'm a time traveller, I laugh at history nodes".

Jason turned to the Timelord with an excited grin on his face. "But I bet you've never seen this. This is the most amazing event in the history of the buildings in front of us". He turned back to the screen and punched some more buttons. The viewer now showed a close up of the clock on the top of the tower. Without warning, the screen showed a spacecraft of some kind fly through the tower, smashing the clock face to bits. But the Doctor still wasn't impressed. "2006. I was there". Jason hit another button, and a close up of the ship came up on the viewer. "I always thought it looked Raxicoricophallipatorian myself", said Susan. "What do you think, grandfather?" But the Timelord didn't have a chance to answer the question. Susan's eyes widened. "You were there? Really?"

The Doctor looked nervous. "Well it isn't important, really", he said.

"No, come on, grandfather", said Susan. "Let's see". She started pressing some buttons on the screen. She talked as she did this. "The history node contains all the images recorded on CCTV in the area on that day". Surely enough, the images on the screen began to flicker. The Doctor touched Susan on the shoulder. "Look, it really isn't important", he said.

But Susan wouldn't listen. "If my grandfather is part of the most important day in the history of the Houses of Parliament, I want to know about it. So was it before or after you regenera…?"

But Susan didn't finish the sentence. At one particular image, she stopped. She seemed to freeze, just like the images on the screen. Amy and Rory looked on intently, anxious to view what had shocked Susan so much. There on the screen were a man and a girl. The girl had long blonde hair, and wore a red jacket. She looked to be in her late teens. The man standing next to her was wearing a red jumper and an old leather jacket. He looked about forty years old. His hair was short, and he had a huge nose and even larger ears. "So who are they?" asked Rory.

"His ears are even bigger than Prince Charles'!" exclaimed Amy.

The Doctor just looked down at his shoes. A silence gripped the quintet. Jason, Amy and Rory had no idea what was going on. Not until Susan finally broke the silence. "Grandfather. That's you! That's you isn't it?"

More surprised than anything else, Amy instinctively continued to speak. "So you mean you used to look like…?" Rory put his hand on his wife's shoulder. She looked at him and he shook his head. The silence resumed, only to be broken by Susan's voice.

"So you've regenerated more than once?" The Doctor slowly nodded.

Tears started to well up in Susan's eyes. "So you've regenerated more than once and you've not come back for me?!"

The Doctor faced his granddaughter. "Well I …"

She cut him off. "How many times? How many times have you regenerated?!"

"It really doesn't…"

"Give me a number!"

"Ten".

The awkward silence resumed. After what seemed to be an eternity, Susan threw a coin for Jason to catch. "Take them on that bus ride. They're from the early twenty-first century so they're sure to have a lot of questions". Jason's eyes widened as he slowly nodded his head. Gently he directed Rory and Amy to the other end of the bridge to where Susan had said the tours set out from.

The Doctor tugged nervously at his bowtie. His was going to be the hardest explanation of all.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Stepping into the TARDIS, Susan closed the door behind her. "I'm waiting". The Doctor looked slightly awkward and took in a deep breath. He'd hoped his granddaughter may have calmed down slightly, but obviously he was wrong.

They had decided to return to the timeship for their discussion. Since it was inevitably going to be a decidedly Gallifreyan discussion, the pair decided that it should take place behind closed doors, in as Gallifreyan an environment as they could find. They both decided that arguing about something inherent to their and only their species within the earshot of aliens wouldn't be decent. Indeed, since they were about to have a heated discussion about regeneration, something that would turn most humans all shades of green with envy, doing it in public would go well beyond rude.

Susan fought back the sting of tears. "Ten regenerations. Hundreds of years. And not so much as a visit. Do I really mean that little to you?"

The Doctor clumsily folded his arms and mumbled. "Of course not. It was just difficult".

"'Difficult'? You've not seen me for what, to you, is the better part of a millennium, and all you can say is 'difficult'?"

The Timelord took a step toward his granddaughter. "Susan…"

The girl quickly ran past him, toward the console to avoid any physical contact, and turned around to face him again. "You'll have to do better than that. I want an explanation, and I don't care how long it takes. I'm not going anywhere until I have one".

Turning around, the Doctor sighed. He knew there was no way around this. He owed her the truth after all. "Because I made a promise. To your parents. That I would keep you safe, no matter what".

"'Safe'? By marooning me in some backward time period?"

The Doctor gave a defiant smile as his voice changed to a more upbeat tone. "No. By leaving you in one of the most affluent and positive time periods in earth's history. Post war periods are always booming. And you were a brilliant young lady, I knew you could make it even better". He gestured toward the TARDIS door, reminding her of the world outside. "And now I arrive and you prove me totally right. And besides. You were in love. David could give you a life a grey little old man couldn't hope to give you. How could I deny you that?"

Susan frowned as she thought of her time with David. "He did. For such a long time, he did".

"What happened?" asked the Doctor.

Susan couldn't suppress a tearful sniffle. "The same thing that happens to all humans. Age. Cruel, irreversible, simple age. Oh, but to his own people he lived to a real ripe old age. One hundred and fifteen. But to me…"

Her grandfather finished her sentence for her. "A blink of an eye".

Her sorrow quickly turned to rage. "How could you do that to me? Leave me to fall in love, get so attached to a human, only to lose him so quickly?!"

"So would you rather I hadn't?"

Susan sighed. "No".

The Doctor approached his granddaughter and gently touched her shoulders. "Susan, I know true love when I see it. I also knew you were different to me. You needed a stable life, to settle down. You deserved a life like that before you decided to go travelling with me. I was already old when I took this TARDIS. I was able to make the decision for myself that I didn't want to live with the Timelords on Gallifrey anymore, and that I didn't want to put down any more roots. I wanted to let you have the life experience for you to make that decision for yourself". He removed his hands from her shoulders and took a couple of steps back. "But I already know what decision you would make".

"How?"

"Because of what you've done here. You've helped this world rebuild far better than I could have ever imagined. It's part of who you are now".

There was a silence, filled only by the humming of the TARDIS' circuits. Susan folded her arms and nodded slowly. When she broke the silence, after a good few minutes, she swore she could see her grandfather jump. "I came looking for you, you know".

The Doctor raised his eyebrows. "When?"

"About ten years after David died. I was lonely and I didn't think you'd come back. So I had a go at constructing a time machine".

"Did it work?"

Again, Susan fought back tears. "It shot me back a hundred and fifty years. I witnessed the entire Dalek invasion again. This time I had to keep out of its way".

The Doctor nodded, as if understanding something for the first time. "And that's why your first body was dying, only two hundred years after I first left you. You were actually four hundred years old".

"Yes", replied Susan. "And, you know, after all that time, I'd begun to think my life with you was just a dream. That when I finally died that would be it. But I should have known better, shouldn't I? After all, I was four hundred years old, I'd invented half of the technology on the planet without batting an eyelid. I'd even created a bio-damper so that they couldn't find me in the Time War. I was about to regenerate and become a hopelessly old mind in a young body".

The Doctor echoed his previous sentiment. "As I said, the first one's always the strangest"

Susan took a deep breath. "Okay, so you've told me why you left me here. But you still haven't told me why you never came back".

The Timelord closed his eyes. "Because of what the universe says to me".

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

His eyes snapped open, totally focusing on his granddaughter. "Because I've travelled in this box for hundreds of years, across more millennia and light years than I've been able to count. Times change, races change, the myriad of variety in the universe is mind blowing even to us. But in all that variety, there's one thing that's constant. Two words. Two little words I can't ignore: 'Help me'".

Susan's eyes widened a little. The Doctor ran a hand through his hair and continued. "The universe is vast and beautiful, but it's also perilous. People die, planets burn, and if I can't help them, who will? Timelords may have a huge lifespan, Susan, but it doesn't go on forever. I can only save so many people, and even that will never be enough".

"Then why couldn't you have taken me with you so that I could help you save them?"

"Because I've seen so much death that I'm almost numb to it. Bad people, good people, friends, family. All died. All people I've failed to save". He looked directly at her with unblinking eyes. "Your death was the one I could have never forgiven myself for. I knew that if ever I saw you again, you'd ask to come with me again". He lowered his voice to little more than a whisper. "And I knew that I wouldn't have been able to refuse. I'm weak, Susan. Emotionally weak. I hate being alone, but it's either that or lose the people I care about".

Susan took a step toward him. "I'm sorry", she whispered. "I never knew".

The humming of the TARDIS circuits became very loud as the conversation was silenced. But Susan nonetheless tried to lift the mood. "So how were four and ten?"

A bemused look came over the Doctors face. "What?"

"You know, four and ten. They always say that a Gallifreyan's forth and tenth incarnations are the most interesting".

The Doctor nodded and laughed. "Yes, they do, don't they? 'The dreaded four and ten'" He stepped up to the console and started flicking some switches, trying to get the viewer to work. "Well, four was quite bohemian. He wore a stupidly long scarf that he used to trip up over all the time. But it was him who introduced me to Jelly Babies".

"Jelly Babies? I remember you catching me eating a bag of them in the 1960s and snatching it off me and throwing it away".

"Yes, typical Mr Grumpy Pants", the Doctor replied. "But earth haute cuisine is something of an acquired taste. Takes a good couple of lifetimes to acquire". He banged the monitor screen again.

"And what about ten?" Susan asked.

He thought for a minute. "Yes, ten, very nice man. Maybe too nice. Didn't want to go in the end, can't say I blame him". He pointed below his mouth. "I mean look at this chin!"

He slapped the side of the console screen. "Work!"

Sparks flew from the machine. Susan wondered if it would ever work, but an instant later, she heard sounds coming from it, and saw the light of reflected images on the Doctor's face. She could hear human voices, although not clear enough to discern any individual words. And there were other noises, in the background. They were also terrifyingly familiar. She looked on as her grandfather turned white. "What's wrong? Is it working?"

"It's working fine".

"You look like you've seen a ghost. What's wrong?"

He turned to face her, a grave expression on his face. "The universe. It's talking to me again. Susan, the Daleks are back".


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"Inner or outer, Madam?"

Amy was confused by the question. "I'm sorry?"

"Inner or outer?"

Jason reached over Amy's head and gave the money to the bus driver. "Outer. Three tickets for the outer track?"

A look of relief passed over the bus driver's rather chubby face as he accepted the cash. "Go on up". The trio then walked past him to what appeared to be a totally normal, non-futuristic double decker, open top bus. Rory was confused. "So what did he mean by 'inner or outer'?" Jason smiled excitedly. "You'll see".

They were about to climb the staircase to the upper deck of the bus when the trio spun around at the sound of some loud electronic sounds. They were surprised to see a pair of Japanese tourists trying to communicate with the driver. They were both wearing what looked like walkmen on their heads.

Rory was puzzled. "What's going on, Jason? What are they wearing?"

"Oh, those are electronic translators. But it's very strange".

Rory was surprised to see Jason looking more puzzled than his wife. "What is?"

"They seem to be malfunctioning. But they never do that".

Amy really wasn't interested. "Everything malfunctions. Even the TARDIS. Come on, let's get upstairs". The two men grudgingly obliged, but Jason was still clearly confused. "They used to do it all the time when they first came out. Digital signals in the atmosphere interfered with them. But they should be fine now". Amy and Rory sat at the front seat on the right hand side of the upper deck. Jason sat behind them. The tourists had obviously managed to communicate with the driver as they clambered up and sat in the seat across the aisle from Amy and Rory. The minutes ticked by as the driver waited any more potential customers downstairs.

All the while Amy couldn't get the thought of her mind. The Doctor had a granddaughter? Whom he used to travel with? She shuddered at the terrible argument they must be having now. But her train of thought abruptly came to an end when the motor coughed to life. Jason put his hands on their shoulders. "Hold on to your hats!"

Amy looked around her as the bus slowly started to rise. Only three more passengers had joined them, and were sitting right at the back. A tall red-haired young man held the hand of what presumably was his girlfriend. Just behind them, right at the back, was another tall young man.

The bus had risen about half way up the clock tower when Amy became worried. "It's an open top bus. Couldn't we fall out?"

Jason took her hand and placed it at the edge of the bus. She felt something invisible in the way of her hand, and it stopped in mid air. "Force field", smiled Jason.

Amy grinned back. "'Force field'? But it doesn't even tickle!"

Jason laughed. "Why should it tickle?"

Amy could only smile back.

The bus had reached the full height of the tower, and was level with the clock face. As they rounded a corner, Rory noticed something out of place. He pointed to the centre of the clock on the wall they were now facing. "What's that?"

"Oh, it wasn't there in your time, was it?" replied Jason. "Just relax, this is the start of the ride".

Rory had been pointing to a hole in the middle of the clock. A hole just large enough to accommodate a flying double decker bus. As the bus manoeuvred, he realised that this is exactly what it had been designed to do. The light of the sun was suddenly cut off as the bus entered the corridor. It was lined with glass walls, and the cogs and screws making up the clockwork of Big Ben were clearly visible. As they got about half way down the corridor, a recorded voice, obviously designed to sound like that of Winston Churchill boomed. "Prepare for the ride of your life".

At once the vehicle accelerated. The sun blazed on them again as they left Big Ben's corridor far behind. At the same time, the top deck of the bus split in two right down the centre. Each half of the deck swung downward until they were no longer on a double decker bus, but on a single decker bus with four rows of seats. The trio were now sitting right next to the driver, who had put on a black cap and a pair of glasses. As the driver smiled to them, Jason whispered to Amy. "He doesn't really need glasses. No one does anymore. He just wears them for…" Amy nodded as she cut him off. "Classic look. Got it".

For all the hyperbole of the Churchill announcement, Amy was fairly disappointed by the tour. As she had already noticed, most of London looked just like it had in her time. Sure, the flying cars were incredible, and there would be the odd additional skyscraper here and there, but aside from that, it was just like the bus tour of London she had taken with Rory when they were sixteen. Except, of course, that the bus then didn't fly.

As they were arcing under Tower Bridge, the tall youth from the back who didn't have a girlfriend walked up to the driver and whispered something in his ear. The driver nodded and the youth gave him a friendly slap on the shoulder.

At the other side of the driver, the tourists' cameras were clicking and whirring. Rory knew that, even in his time, cameras didn't make that noise anymore. The "classic" sentiment, he thought, was turning out to be ubiquitous.

Amy was almost bored when the driver made the announcement. "Buckingham Palace coming up before us". She and her husband stared open mouthed at the structure before them. The great blue glass structure towered above them, reaching for the heavens. As they got closer and began to circle around it, Jason kept them informed. "Built shortly after the Dalek Occupation. Designed by Susan for a brave new world". Their admiration was interrupted by the bus coming to an abrupt halt in mid air and another announcement by the driver. "Okay, I think someone has something to say".

One of the young men at the back of the bus rose to his feet and led his girlfriend down the aisle. Stopping near where Amy and Rory were sitting, he went down on one knee. "Jess, you're my best friend", he said. "I love you so much and I want to spend the rest of my life with you". As the other young man approached them from the back of the bus, the tourists swung their cameras around, which started to click and whirr upon the young couple. They only stopped when the driver shook his head at them fervently.

The young man standing up gave something to his friend. "Here you go, Sean".

Now, Sean bowed his head. "Will you marry me?"

Jess had a tear in her eye. Amy and Rory hugged each other in a tight grip. It was a perfect moment as eight hearts beat faster, all waiting on Jess' answer.

But it would be an answer that never came. All of a sudden, a high pitched sound was heard as a bright beam streaked through the atmosphere. The glass structure in front of them seemed to glow for the briefest instant. The euphoric mood of the people on the bus vanished in an instant as the skyscraper that was now Buckingham Palace crumbled to dust. Nine mouths hung open.

An instant later, other similar beams could be seen and heard, striking other seemingly random parts of the city.

Amy craned her head upwards. From a distance she saw some other shapes mingling with the flying cars. She could also hear fragments of static electronic voices coming from their direction. She didn't need to be close to them to know what they were. She whispered the word in terror. "Daleks".

At the word, the other occupants of the bus reeled. The youth who had given Sean the ring bellowed at the driver. "Get us out of here!"

The driver needed little encouragement. He sat in his seat, and the bus accelerated at a rate that made their previous speed seem feeble in comparison. Around them London transformed into what looked like a sci-fi horror film. Amy's heart sank as the wails of terror came from all around her. Jason was repeating the same sentence over and over again. "Why would they come back now?"

Rory gave his wife a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. The Doctor will save us".

As if on cue, her phone chose that moment to come to life. She grabbed it out of her pocket as if her life depended on it.

"Doctor?!"

Back in the TARDIS, the Timelord addressed his companion through the console phone. "Pond. Is that you?"

"Well it's hardly likely to be the Abominable Snowman is it?" He heard the panic in his companion's voice and took a deep breath. "Amy, I know what's happening. It looks like the Daleks are invading again, but don't worry. I'm coming for you".

"Can you make it quick?!"

"The TARDIS computer's just pinpointed your location. I'll be with you as soon as I can. Keep the line open, I'll need it to trace you, but I'll need both hands to operate the TARDIS". He let the receiver go, and it dangled freely on its wire.

Susan raced toward the console to help her grandfather. The Doctor flicked switch after switch, but sparks continued to fly from the circuits. Susan was worried. "Grandfather, what's happening?!"

"A few problems with the TARDIS. No, no, no!" Some more sparks flew. "It isn't letting me lock on to her location!"

"So what does that mean?"

"Normally I'd just follow the signal and materialise, but the TARDIS isn't letting me do that". He shook a lever irritably. "Come on!"

He took a deep breath, and tried to be calm as he spoke to his granddaughter. "Susan, we're going to have to do this another way".

Cautiously she replied. "What do you mean?"

"Have the skyscraper protective forcefields been installed yet?"

"I designed them. Why?"

"And when we were in the 1960s, did you ever play pinball?"

It then dawned on Susan what her grandfather was planning to do. "Isn't that dangerous?" she shrieked.

The Doctor beamed from ear to ear. "Very. Susan, go to the door, I'll need you to be my eyes".

"You're mad!" she replied as she darted back to the entrance of the timeship.

"Let's just say that ten regenerations have agreed with me", he replied. He flicked a few switches and stood poised. "You know there's a special word for times like this", he mused.

Susan held tightly onto the doorknob. "And what would that be?"

The Doctor pulled a lever. Susan's ears popped and she fell to the floor as the TARDIS flew straight up at incredible speed. Over the sounds of clunking metal and showers of sparks, she heard one word come from her grandfather's lips. "GERONIMO!"

At the back of the bus, one of the young men, the one who hadn't gone down on one knee, was weeping. "I had a life", he cried, "I had a life and they came back!"

"Try to keep it together, Theodore!" snapped Jess.

At the front of the bus, Amy shouted into her phone. "Doctor! Doctor!"

"Don't worry, Amy, he's on his way", said Rory.

In the space of a few minutes, the beautiful city around them had been reduced to a sea of ruins. Daleks flew past the bus, shouting in their ugly static tones, and firing in what seemed to be totally indiscriminate patterns. Her mind racing, she realised that these Daleks looked somewhat different to the ones she had seen. They were slightly shorter, dustier and more metallic. Their colours weren't as bright, and they had what looked like old satellite dishes on their backs.

Turning her attentions inside the bus, she couldn't help but notice how terrified the driver looked. He was silent, but it was his body language that betrayed him.

Breaking her husband's hold on her, she moved over and put her hand on the driver's shoulder. She tried as best she could to smile. "It's going to be okay. However it may look now, it's going to be okay".

At that moment, with a buzz which must have been the forcefield being broken, one of the Daleks flew onto the bus, moved up the aisle and addressed the driver in a screaming, monotone, static voice.

"You will deactivate this vehicle. You will land it on the ground below us. You will stay in it and await further instruction. Any attempt to defy us, and you will be exterminated!"

In total dismay, the driver nodded. He must have thought his time was up.

As their rapid climb stopped, Susan scrambled to her feet. "Don't you ever do that again!"

The Doctor raced from the control panel to the door. "Desperate times call for desperate measures".

Furtively he turned the doorknob and opened the door.

A powerful draught almost knocked both travellers over, indicating just how high they were. Looking down, the Doctor probed the area with his sonic screwdriver. Suddenly he snapped to attention and pointed. "There!"

"There what?!" asked Susan.

"The Ponds. The bus with the Ponds and your friend Jason on it".

"Are you sure?"

"The sonic doesn't lie. Right, how to get to it…"

For a brief moment, the Doctor went silent. Susan was beginning to realise that the years and his many regenerations had changed him after all.

His next utterance made her jump. "There. I could ricochet off that skyscraper, the one that's still standing".

He slammed the door shut and darted back to the console.

"You're mad!" his granddaughter exclaimed.

"Certainly helps", agreed the Doctor.

Knowing when he was beaten, the driver slowed down the bus and began a descent. Only Amy seemed to know that all hope wasn't lost. And it was that hope that gave her the courage to face the Dalek. She knew she was no Doctor, but that never stopped her before.

"You think you're special, don't you? You think you're better than us?"

"No", came the Dalek's response. "We know we are better than you. We are the strongest race in the galaxy. In the universe. In all of creation. Nothing can stand in our way".

Amy felt her bravery get second wind. "Then how come you were defeated before? Hmm? How come you didn't manage to beat us when you last invaded us?" The Dalek was silent, so she continued. "I'll tell you why: a man called the Doctor. He's faced you loads of times. And each time, he's beaten you. One man against all your armies, and you've never won. Not once".

"You lie", said the Dalek defiantly. "One sole man could never defeat our armies. One sole Dalek could defeat a million of you".

"Then you've obviously never met the Doctor. He's brave. He's incredible. He's…". She broke off mid-sentence as she looked up and couldn't believe what she was seeing. Rory and the other passengers followed her gaze, all with open mouths. Far, far above them, a tiny blue box seemed to hover. Amy's relief to see the first sign of her companion come to save her was totally negated by the insanity of what she knew he was about to do. As she stared on in disbelief, she resumed her sentence. "He's a mad, mad man with a box".

In a split instant, the TARDIS hurtled toward the bus, bouncing off a skyscraper that was still standing. All the passengers cried out in astonishment as the blue box flew toward them, hitting the Dalek and smashing it into a million pieces. The door swung open, revealing Susan's grinning face. "Bullseye!" She let them take a moment to process what had just happened, but then reminded them of the urgency of the situation. "Everyone in here, quick!"

"In there?!" asked Theodore. "All of us?"

Amy gave him a short, sharp glance. "We don't have time to argue. Trust me, just get in there now!"

One of the Japanese tourists, now speaking perfect English without the aid of his translator, was equally puzzled. "How will we all fit in that box?"

The Doctor's head popped out of the TARDIS. "Dimensional transcendence. I swear by it. Now hurry!" The driver and all the passengers hurried into the box. As soon as the door was closed behind the last person, it gave a belaboured whooshing sound and slowly disappeared from view. Almost forgotten, the bus, bearing the remains of the Dalek fell to the floor and exploded, littering the ruined city with its remains.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

The eleven companions slowly coughed their way out of the smoky TARDIS.

"Where are we?" wheezed Amy, rubbing the excess smoke from her eyes.

Susan followed her out of the timeship carrying some odds and ends she'd picked up from in there. "It looks like one of the resistance bunkers from the Dalek invasion". She then gravely corrected herself. "Sorry. The first Dalek occupation".

The room had a musty smell. It was cold and the dim light from the smoking TARDIS was the only thing keeping the companions from being in total darkness.

But Rory had another question. "Doctor, why is the TARDIS smoking like that?"

The Timelord emerged last, coughing and spluttering and also carrying some equipment as his granddaughter had been. He turned around and closed the door shut. He touched the blue box affectionately and cleared the last of the smoke from his throat. "Rory Pond, unlike some people I could mention, this old girl's civilised. She doesn't like flying through the air". A dreamy expression crossed his face as he went on. "She prefers phasing through the cold vacuum of space or wending her way through the time vortex".

His musings were cut off by his granddaughter. "Everyone look at this". She had got some kind of remote viewer working. To Amy and Rory it looked like a laptop. As best as they could, everyone gathered round. "I managed to get it working", Susan went on. "I think what we're seeing is being broadcast to every television and computer on the planet. I'll just try to get the sound working".

The bus driver spoke, half to himself. "Looks like the inside of the House of Commons".

He was right. But they were no longer in a debate. All of the people, from Prime Minister Wright-Chesterton, to Defence Minister Ronson were lined up against the far wall, behind where the Speaker normally sits. In front of them stood half a dozen Daleks. They were dusty and metallic.

"They look different to the ones I've seen before", said Amy.

Before anyone could answer, there was a feint buzzing sound. "I think I've got the sound working", said Susan. Sure enough, the screaming metallic droning voices of the Daleks could soon be heard. One of them, coloured a rusty golden hue, addressed the ministers.

"Until today you were the primary officials in this land. Now, like all other people of this world, you are our slaves. We have landed in all the main cities of the world, and are now taking control of your entire planet. All humans will await further orders. You now belong to us".

"You belong to us", echoed two Daleks flanking the gold one.

Instinctively a brave man, the Prime Minister took it upon himself to reply. "What do you want?"

The gold Dalek addressed him. "To rule. We want your world to be a part of the Dalek empire. Your resources will be mined and your population will be ours to control.

"Is there anything we can offer? Any terms of surrender?"

"Surrender is irrelevant. We have already won!"

The man Amy recognised as the Defence Minister then spoke. "Why now? Why come back now?"

"We have lied in waiting for over a century. We have improved our technology. Now we are invincible. We enslaved your planet back then, and shall do so even easier now".

Back in the bunker, the Doctor scratched his head. "That's wrong".

"Sounds pretty right to me", said Theodore. "I mean, the Daleks destroyed London in a matter of seconds. There's nothing we can do".

"Oh, aren't you a cheery one?" replied the Timelord, looking around to face him just for a second and then returning his gaze to the screen.

"What is it, Doctor?" asked Rory.

"Daleks don't wait", he replied. "They shift".

"'Shift'?" asked Amy.

"Emergency temporal shift. Waiting drives them insane. Whenever they know they're beaten, they shift in time. Not like I do in my TARDIS. Not nearly as precisely. It's all random. They appear all over time and space".

"But couldn't shifting like that be dangerous to them?" asked Rory.

"Yes, but they prefer to take the risk rather than to wait. And they claim they've waited over a century?"

"And another thing", said Amy. "What are those dishes on their backs? Are they trying to pick up satellite TV?"

"Well they always have those dishes, don't they?" said Sean.

"If I remember correctly", began Susan, "it's how they move around in earth's atmosphere. On their home planet, they couldn't move around outside of the city they constructed, so they needed to develop new technology to move around on earth".

All were suddenly quietened by a swift move of the Doctor's arm. They ceased all conversation and focussed on the television.

The gold Dalek, as it turned out, was barking more threats. "You are afraid of us. And you are right to be afraid of us. But you do not respect us. We demand respect. We demand respect. And to that end, we are going to assassinate your leader. Behold!" All the Daleks on the screen pointed their blasters at the Prime Minister. "They wouldn't", winced Jess. "They can't". But it was hopeless. As one, all the Daleks on the screen spoke. "Exterminate!" Green beams flew from each one. The Prime Minister screamed for an instant, as the beams struck him. And then he was no more.

Theodore started shrieking in despair. "They've won! They've already won! All we've worked for, all we've planned. We're just going to end up as Dalek slaves. Slaves, or worse!"

Jess decided she'd had enough. "Oh, just shut up will you? What about me. I was just about to get engaged!"

"So you were going to say 'yes'?" asked Sean excitedly.

The Doctor was irritated. "Quiet you lot!" He watched the television intently. A terrifying silence had followed the Prime Minister's death. It was broken only by Ronson. But he didn't address the Daleks, or even the other ministers. He faced the camera, seemingly hoping to address the other survivors of the Dalek attack. "Anyone, whoever's out there, please listen! All's not lost. There's a satellite, right above London. You can still save us. It's cloaked, but it's only an x=gamma firewall. You should be able to…" he was cut short by the gold Dalek.

"You will desist your speaking, or you will be exterminated". Ronson reluctantly fell back into line. The gold Dalek then turned to face the camera. This puzzled Amy. "What's he doing?"

But before she had her answer, the Dalek spoke again. "We remember the last invasion. We had humanity enslaved, but they were rescued by one man. The Doctor".

Ronson shouted at his captor. "The Doctor is only a legend".

"Silence", replied the Dalek. "Doctor, if you are watching, we demand that you present yourself to us. We demand your unconditional surrender. If you do not arrive at this building within the next hour, all the ministers in this room will be exterminated!"

From the screen, panicked cries were heard.

There was a stunned silence in the bunker, broken only by Amy's voice. "Doctor, what are we going to do?"

The Timelord put a hand on his chin. Rory could have sworn he was about to speak, when the granite wall of the bunker exploded. The eleven companions were flung back, but as they got back up, they could clearly see a smoking hole in the wall. And through the hole came a single white Dalek. The lights on its headpiece flashed as it spoke in menacing tones. "I have found you, humans. You cannot hide from the Daleks. You have attempted to conceal yourselves from us, and for that, there can only be one penalty".

"And what would that 'penalty' be?" demanded the Doctor.

The Dalek's blaster began to move. "Your immediate extermination!"


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

His mind raced as it always did. It was in situations like this that only the ingenuity of a Timelord could ever hope to triumph. Yet even as his adrenaline rush caused his intricate neural connections to power into overdrive, to consider every conceivable possibility, he knew it was too late. For every pico second he spent thinking, he and his companions were that much closer to annihilation. All he could do was think a quick "I'm sorry" to everyone standing in the room, and prepare to meet his death.

But this time, even the Doctor hadn't considered every variable. For, unlike the vast majority of death trap situations he'd been in, this situation had one important difference: this time he wasn't the only Timelord present.

Quick as a flash, Susan's right arm shot up and fired something at their enemy. The Dalek was encased in a glowing blue forcefield. The Doctor shot a look at his granddaughter. She smiled back. "Just something I whipped up". She was holding a black pen-shaped device, from which the forcefield clearly emanated. For a second, the eleven people watched the motionless Dalek in the forcefield. Then the Doctor's granddaughter pressed another button on the device, contracting the forcefield and crushing their pursuer like a piece of paper in a strong man's hand.

Amy was aghast. "Something you 'just whipped up'?"

The Doctor quickly addressed his companion. "We're very good at whipping things up".

But he didn't waste another second. Immediately he crossed the room to the remains of their would-be captor. He didn't even stop walking to talk. "Susan, get on your computer. Make contact with Ronson's satellite".

The Doctor rummaged around the twisted metal remains of the Dalek. Wanting to get a better idea what was going on, Amy rushed over to him.

"What are you doing?"

"Looking for something that isn't there".

"What do you mean?"

"Come on, Amy, you should know. What's inside every Dalek shell?"

"The Dalek itself?"

"Correct. A horrible, one-eyed, tentacled creature. And so far, I can't see it".

Theodore now joined them, clearly wanting to pretend to be clever. "Couldn't it have ejected?"

The Doctor momentarily stopped rummaging around and looked at Theodore the way a professor might look at an ant. "Theodore, do you see anything here that looks even slightly like an ejection mechanism?"

"Suppose not".

"Good, then keep your ideas to yourself. We don't have much time". He picked up a piece of the metal. "And I'd really love to know what this metal is".

Suddenly, the face of one of the tourists lit up. "Perhaps I can help you there".

"How so?" asked the Doctor.

"I'm a chemist", he continued, now speaking in flawless English. "And I think there's enough spare equipment lying around here for me to work it out".

The Doctor slapped his new friend's shoulder and handed him the piece of metal. "Good man".

Their conversation was interrupted by a victorious exclamation from Susan. "Found it!"

The Timelord crossed the room to join his granddaughter. "The satellite?"

"Yes. Got through the firewall in twenty seconds".

"Is it armed?"

"Only with about two hundred neutron bombs".

The Timelord shook his head slowly. "There's been enough death today. I'm not using the satellite to add to it".

But then, surprisingly, Susan beamed back at the Doctor. "Maybe you don't have to".

"What do you mean?"

"Guess what I found behind the firewall?"

"Not really in a guessing mood today, Susan".

"Another firewall".

The Doctor's eyes widened. "Another one?"

"Very different to the last one. Very well hidden and far harder to hack. Took me almost two minutes".

The Doctor patted her on the shoulder. "Slowing down. So what's behind firewall number two?"

"Maybe it would be better if I let you listen to it".

The newly regenerated girl pressed a few more buttons on the keyboard. Suddenly a series of sounds were heard that made eleven people jump and thirteen hearts skip a beat.

"Exterminate!"

"Resistance is useless!"

"You will await our instructions!"

"Obey!"

"Obey!"

"Obey!"

The Doctor pressed another button on the console, shutting off the voices. Amy whirled around. "Sounded like Dalek voices".

"Right", said the Doctor. "That's exactly what it sounded like. Susan, can you hijack the satellite?"

"I can try".

"Do it. Time is of the essence. I've got less than an hour before I'm due at the Houses of Parliament".

Amy grabbed the Timelord's jacket. "You're not seriously going there are you?!"

"Amy, I have to. You heard the Daleks' threats".

"But you can't! I won't let you!"

The Doctor held the girl's hand. "Amy, too many people have already died today. I'm not prepared to add one single name to that list".

"But they'll kill you!"

As the tears ran down her eyes, the tourist tapped the Doctor on the shoulder. He turned around and took the piece of metal from him. "So what is it?"

"Titanium, gold alloy".

"Thank-you".

He turned back to Amy who was surprised to see a smile on his face and a beam in his eye. "They won't kill me, Amy".

"You have a plan?"

"Course I have a plan. I always have a plan".

"No you don't".

The Doctor ignored her last comment as he put the metal down on a table, straightened his bowtie, and took the metal up again. "But right now, I have a date with some gorgeous Daleks. And I don't want to keep them waiting".

With that he turned and calmly walked out of the bunker, leaving ten stunned people behind him, in a dusty room with only Susan's continual tapping at the keyboard to be heard.

He's got out of all sorts of impossible situations before, thought Amy.

She felt her mouth go dry as she failed to convince herself. He said he had a plan. But for the life of her, Amy couldn't see it.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

After what seemed an eternity of waiting in the bunker, the small, almost forgotten viewscreen once more flickered to life. Nine of the ten people present spun around, and gazed intently on the events unfolding before them. The fate of the world was about to be decided yet again.

The interior room of the House of Commons was again broadcast. The gold Dalek, flanked by the two black ones, still guarded Minister Ronson and the others. There was also a shoe in the corner of the screen, reminding them of how Prime Minister Wright-Chesterton had been so callously executed in front of them. Since their viewscreen was now working again, Amy guessed that the broadcast was going out across the whole planet. She silently winced in anticipation as her friend stepped onto the screen, and crossed her fingers, hoping he knew what he was doing.

The gold Dalek's eyepiece adjusted at the new arrival. "Identify. Identify or you will be exterminated!"

The figure casually strode toward the huddle of people and their captors. "Oh, come on, still using that old line? Can't you think of something a little more creative?"

"This is your last chance: identify!"

The Timelord folded his arms. "Well, let's put it this way: you asked me to come about an hour ago, and here I am, with…", he glanced quickly at his watch, "… oh! Three minutes to spare. I'm the Doctor".

At this, one of the other Daleks moved forward. "You lie! You do not match the profile for the human called Doctor in our databanks!"

"Well, first of all, let me correct you on that point of being human. I don't know what other information is in your 'databanks', but where I come from, we change every once in a while. My face may be different, but I assure you, I am the same foe you faced two centuries ago".

"You lie!" shrieked the other Dalek. "You must be exterminated!"

As one, the three Daleks moved forward.

Totally unfazed, the Doctor produced the metal he had taken from the Dalek Susan had destroyed. He spoke quickly but calmly. "Just before you exterminate me, take a look at this. Analyse it. You'll find it came from one of you. Don't you want to know how I killed it? For all you know I may have two hundred guerrilla units positioned around this city, ready to pick you off one by one". "This unit does not believe you!" screamed one of the Daleks.

"Well, it wouldn't hurt to listen to what I have to say, would it? And if it turns out that I'm lying, then 'this unit' can point its blaster at me and send my atoms break dancing all around this room. But kill me now and you'll never know".

There was a moment's silence, followed by the cold words of the gold leader. "You have five minutes".

The Timelord grinned. "Thank-you".

He was about to speak, when the man he recognised as Ronson suddenly burst forth from the crowd. "Doctor! Or whoever you are! The satellite. Did you find my satellite?!"

"Ronson!" exclaimed the Doctor. "Wondered when you'd speak up. Yes, we found your satellite. All two hundred neutron bombs of it, in a geosynchronous orbit right above us".

"Then use it! Please! If you or any of your people have found it, use it and wipe the Daleks off the planet!"

The Doctor frowned. "Sorry, not going to do that. Enough people have died already today, and I don't really hold with weapons of mass destruction".

"Then you're allowing everyone on this planet to go to their deaths!"

The Doctor was calm in his answer. "Not really. Let's try my way first".

One of the Daleks suddenly shouted. "You have four minutes remaining! Four minutes to say what you have to say before your extermination!"

Ronson was reluctantly silent as the Doctor spoke. "Okay, mister all powerful, high and mighty gold Dalek, I have a question for you".

The metallic head swung around to face the Timelord. "Yes?"

"You said earlier you lay in waiting. Why?"

"We wanted to improve our technology in order to facilitate our conquest of this planet".

"Oh, come on. Daleks don't wait. It's totally against your nature, it drives you insane. Hibernatory animals wait, caterpillars in cocoons wait, little red-headed Scottish girls wait, but you. You shift. In time. If any of you survived your last attempted invasion, you should have ended up in the Triassic era or the Mesozoic era, not here".

"We wanted to prove our supremacy by conquering you in this time, again".

"So how exactly did you improve yourselves? Oh, and what's with those dishes on your backs? Haven't seen them in a long time".

"All Daleks have radial dishes on their backs. It is how we receive orders!"

"No it isn't. I've fought lots of Daleks in my time. Gold Daleks, black Daleks, chrome Daleks, mighty Emperor Daleks, and the only time I've ever seen you with those dishes is when I fought you here last time. No, the only reason you think all Daleks have those dishes is because you were created by someone who thinks the same. Someone whose only knowledge of Daleks comes from the last invasion. Isn't that right, Mr Ronson?!"

Again, Ronson burst forward. "Doctor, destroy them! They'll kill us all!" A wave of shocked murmurs pervaded the crowd Ronson had advanced from.

"Well they may kill us", said the Doctor, "but really they won't kill you, will they?"

Ronson shook his head furiously. "No, you've got it wrong. I had nothing to do with this!"

The Doctor held up the metal in his hand. "Oh, come on! Daleks are made of a metal called poly-carbide, this is a gold/titanium alloy, something used on this world. But the real kicker came when I was examining the remains of one of the Daleks. There was no creature inside".

"What do you mean, 'creature'?" asked the minister.

"What we see are just the travel machines", answered the Timelord. "The actual Dalek is inside, operating it. These units are no more Dalek than we are, and they're operated by remote control. A signal coming from your satellite!"

A look of defeat crossed Ronson's face. But it quickly gave way to madness. "Daleks, surround him!" The three machines did as they were bid, blocking the Timelord in every direction. In a panic, one of the crowd rushed forward in a bid to rugby tackle Ronson. "Kill him!" the Defence Minister shouted. In a split second, one of the Daleks spun and fired a beam at Ronson's would be attacker. He glowed green, and fell to the floor. The rest of the crowd screamed hysterically. Ronson bitterly addressed them. "No one try to leave, or you'll be killed!" He thought for a moment and then addressed this time the humans. "You don't understand, do you? Our planet has no defences! The Daleks so easily invaded us last time, what happens when another race do the same?! Look how easily they took the planet this time. You're cattle! Nothing but cattle, ready to trot into the slaughter house with inane smiles on your faces!"

He then turned to the Doctor. "I want a transport off this planet! Within five minutes. And no one is to try to stop me, or I'll have all the Dalek units on this planet tear it apart!"

The Timelord simply folded his arms. "Hope you're ready, Susan", he shouted.

Back in the bunker, the ten people huddled around the screen glanced back towards the Doctor's granddaughter, still poised at the computer. She looked up and nodded. Amy didn't know why, but a feeling of relief came over her heart.

Back in the House of Commons, the Doctor defiantly addressed Ronson. "You're very quick to assume that the Daleks are still under your control".

"Of course they are. The Dalek control program is protected by the most advanced firewall in history. It would take a man days to bypass".

The Doctor simply beamed back at his captor. "Then it's a good thing that the hacker in question isn't human".

Ronson nodded, unconvinced. "Who is it?"

"Sue Campbell".

"Sue Campbell?!" Ronson laughed. "You're mad! Now I know I'm safe. Sue Campbell is a decrepit old woman, probably dead by now!"

"No", said the Doctor, "she's something entirely different. Remember when I said that I'm not human and that I changed my face? Sue Campbell's the same. And just a few hours ago, she sat up in her hospital bed, a young woman, full of life. And about an hour ago, this old, brilliant mind in the body of a girl made contact with your satellite. And I'd say right about now, that she's controlling all the hoards of invaders".

A look of terror seized Ronson. "Maybe she controls the Daleks outside then", he stuttered, "but these three here aren't controlled by the satellite. You've caused me enough trouble today, Doctor. Before I'm brought down, I'll at least have the pleasure of watching your execution".

"I thought you'd say that", said the Doctor, slowly shaking his head. "Which means I'm going to have to end this by saying two words I never thought I'd say. In fact, if I had a list of all the things I thought I'd say in all my lives, these words would be right at the bottom".

Ronson folded his arms. "Go on then. Impress me".

The Doctor stared straight at him, his eyes penetrating all the way down into his soul. "Daleks: exterminate!"

The building seemed to shake. Without warning, dozens of Dalek units burst through the walls, green beams of light emanating from their blasters. Ronson crouched down into a foetal position on the floor as the crowd huddled together.

Everyone's ears were ringing so much that it was a good twenty seconds before they realised the shooting had stopped. The ministers in the crowd were surprised to see that the room wasn't damaged very much, save the holes in the walls the units had made on their entrance. And in the centre of the room stood the Doctor. He hadn't moved a muscle during the whole onslaught. Now he was standing triumphant, looking down on the smoking remains of the three Dalek units that had been menacing the crowd. Slowly he turned and faced the point in the wall where he knew the camera was. "London's finest, he's all yours".


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

The walk back to the bunker was a strange one. All through the streets, people were cheering, crying and knocking over the now inert Dalek unit shells. The Doctor took as many back streets as he could. He wanted to be back with his friends as soon as possible, yet despite his best efforts, he was forced to sign twelve autographs. Each one, of course, he signed differently.

On returning to the bunker, he found that only four of his companions remained. Rory and Amy were waiting by the TARDIS, which didn't seem to be smoking anymore. Susan was sat at the monitor screen, silent tears rolling down her face, and Jason stood silently next to her.

The Timelord gently put his hands on his granddaughter's shoulders as he stood behind her. "Thank you", he said. "You were great". She didn't reply. It was then that he noticed what she was looking at: ruined streets, broadcast from all over the world.

"Susan", said the Doctor, "I can take you away from all of this". He motioned toward Jason. "And he can come too".

She stood bolt upright, knocking the chair she had been sitting on to the ground. "How can I go?! The world's been destroyed!"

"It's not your world anymore".

"Of course it is! I've lived here most of my life! Look at the screen!"

The Doctor nodded. She was right, and he knew it.

"I have to help them rebuild", Susan said.

"We may just need better defences", interjected Jason. The Doctor nodded grimly. "That's the worst thing about all this. On one level at least Ronson was right".

Susan wiped the tears from her eyes. "Then I'll have to work on that. Now you go and do what you do best". Her grandfather nodded and looked over to his Timeship. Susan and Jason exchanged embraces with both Rory and Amy before the latter pair entered the TARDIS. As Susan hugged Amy, she told him to take care of her grandfather. Finally, Susan asked Jason for a moment alone with the Doctor.

"You will be back, won't you?" she asked.

"Of course I'll be back. You haven't seen the last of me".

"Are you sure? You took ten regenerations before you saw me again. We only get thirteen lives, you know".

The Doctor closed his eyes. Again, he knew he couldn't argue. "I promise you", he said, drawing an imaginary circle around his face with his forefinger, "when you see me again, I'll still be wearing this face". He stopped and thought for a moment. "Although maybe I'll be wearing a fez too".

Susan looked up, not really knowing what to say. She didn't have to. Before she could, her grandfather gave her one last instruction. "Now go and rebuild paradise".

They exchanged a mutual smile, before the Doctor turned and went back into the TARDIS. The familiar whooshing started, and the amazing vehicle slowly faded from her view. Turning around to rejoin Jason, she thought on the last words her grandfather had spoken to her. "Rebuild paradise"? Yes, she'd done it before, there was no reason she couldn't again. But although someone like her could rebuild paradise, it took someone like her grandfather to save it.


End file.
